Following the release by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs on 15th November 2022, which put the global population at 8 billion, the National Population Commission (NPC) has restated its commitment to managing Nigeria’s estimated population of over 216 million for economic growth and sustainable development.
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While reacting to the UN release which also projected India as the most populous country in 2023, surpassing China, Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra stated that despite its huge size, Nigeria’s population remains its greatest asset in the development process and a veritable tool for the realization of the country’s demographic dividend.
Towards this end, Nigeria recently launched the revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development (NPPSD). The policy has an overall goal of improving the life and standard of living for all Nigerians. It also stresses the need for urgent measures to address Nigeria’s high fertility rate, through expanding access to modern contraceptive methods across the country.
The NPC Chairman called on governments at all levels, traditional institutions, religious leaders, and organized private sectors to support the effective implementation of the National Population Policy.
To provide an institutional basis for the implementation of the NPPSD, the National Council on Population Management under the Chairmanship of President Muhammadu, GCFR has been established and composed of the Vice President, Senate President and Ministers of relevant government ministries and agencies. The Population Advisory Group (PAG) headed by the Chairman of the NPC and key stakeholders has also been inaugurated.
Effective implementation and monitoring of the National Population Policy require accurate and reliable population data on the size and characteristics of the national population. With preparations for the conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census at an advanced stage, Hon Kwarra has expressed the hope that the results of the 2023 Census will provide the basis for evidenced based implementation of the policy.
He solicited the support of the stakeholders at national and sub-national levels as well as development partners for the conduct of the 2023 Census in terms of resource mobilization, massive sensitization of the populace, and technical and logistics support.
With the huge deployment of technology through the digital mapping of the country, use of satellite imageries and Personal Digital Assistants, and online recruitment of ad-hoc personnel, the Commission is poised to deliver the first fully digital and transformative census in Nigeria for sustainable development.
